Trash can assembly with liner for securing trash bag

ABSTRACT

A trash can assembly has a shell, a rigid liner, and a trash bag. The shell has an enclosing wall that defines an interior space. The liner is received inside the interior space, and has a top peripheral edge that defines a mouth. The liner further includes first and second catch plates spaced apart from each other and provided adjacent the top peripheral edge. The trash bag is retained inside the liner, and has a top edge, with a first portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the first catch plate, and a second portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the second catch plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a trash can assembly, and in particular, to a trash can assembly that has a liner that allows the open top edge of a plastic trash bag to be held open at the open top end of the liner.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A major concern for both the home and the workplace is containing and holding wastes, refuse, and trash until permanent disposal. Trash cans act as containers for holding trash and other wastes that are produced in any typical home or office. Trash and garbage cans often employ lids and covers to contain the trash and its associated odor, to hide the trash from view, and to prevent the trash from contaminating areas beyond the lid.

Conventional trash cans have been improved over the years to make them more user-friendly, sanitary, and hygienic. For example, many trash cans are now provided with a foot pedal positioned adjacent the base of the trash can so that a user can step on the foot pedal to open the lid of the trash can, thereby freeing up the user's hands to toss trash, or to change the plastic bag that is used to line the trash can. Other trash cans have even provided an internal metal or plastic liner that fits inside the trash can, and which can be removed to be washed. However, these conventional trash cans still suffer from a number of drawbacks.

A number of these drawbacks are associated with the deployment, use and removal of the trash bag. A common problem is associated with maintaining the mouth of the trash bag open at the top of the trash can. For example, a user typically needs to fold the top edge of the trash bag over the top edge of the trash can or its internal liner to maintain the mouth of the trash bag opened at the top of the trash can or an internal liner. Unfortunately, the weight of the waste materials deposited into the trash bag often causes the trash bag to slip from the mouth of the trash can and fall crumpled into the interior of the trash can. This can result in the undesirable spillage of the waste material inside the trash bag.

Thus, there remains a need for a trash can that facilitates the convenient and effective deployment, use and removal of a trash bag.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly that allows for a trash bag to be conveniently and effectively deployed, used and removed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly that securely retains a trash bag at the mouth of the trash can.

In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the present invention provides a trash can assembly that a trash can assembly having a shell, a rigid liner, and a trash bag. The shell has an enclosing wall that defines an interior space. The liner is received inside the interior space, and has a top peripheral edge that defines a mouth. The liner further includes first and second catch plates spaced apart from each other and provided adjacent the top peripheral edge. The trash bag is retained inside the liner, and has a top edge, with a first portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the first catch plate, and a second portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the second catch plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trash can assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention shown with the lid opened, and with an internal liner partially raised from the trash can shell.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the internal liner of the trash can assembly of FIG. 1, with a trash bag shown in phantom.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the internal liner of the trash can assembly of FIG. 1 shown with a trash bag (shown in phantom) placed inside.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the internal liner of the trash can assembly of FIG. 1 shown with a trash bag (shown in phantom) placed inside and with the handles of the trash bag retained by the catch plates.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the internal liner shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate one embodiment of a trash can assembly 20 according to the present invention. The assembly 20 has a shell 22 that can be made from either plastic or metal. The shell 22 is an enclosing wall which can have any desired shape, including oval, triangular, rectangular, square or circular (among others), although the shell 22 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 as being generally rectangular. The top edge of the shell 22 has annular lip 24 which defines an opened mouth 26. The annular lip 24 extends outwardly beyond the wall of the shell 22, and has a generally rounded cross-section.

A lid 30 is pivotably connected to the upper portion of the shell 22 using any known hinged connection. The lid 30 can be made of a solid and stable material, such as a metal or plastic.

A foot pedal 32 is pivotably connected to a part of the front wall 34 of the shell 22 near the base 36 of the shell 22. A link assembly extends from the foot pedal 32 along the base 36 and then upwardly along the shell 22 to the lid 30. The link assembly operates to translate an up-down pivot motion of the pedal 32 to an up-down pivot motion for the lid 30. The link assembly can be embodied in the form of any of the known link assemblies that are used in conventional trash cans.

A rigid liner 40 is adapted to be fitted inside the hollow interior of the shell 22. The liner 40 is typically used to hold trash, and can be removed from the shell 22 to dispose of the trash. The liner 40 is typically made of rigid plastic so that it can be washed or cleaned. The liner 40 is usually provided in the same general configuration as the shell 22, so the liner 40 in the present embodiment has two parallel side walls 42 and 44, and two parallel end walls 46 and 48. The top edges of each of the walls 42, 44, 46, 48 define an opened mouth 50. A flange 51 can be provided about the walls 42, 44, 46, 48 adjacent the top edges of the walls 42, 44, 46, 48. The side walls 42 and 44 can be generally vertical, while each end wall 46 and 48 can have an upper portion 52 and 54, respectively, that transitions to a lower portion 56 and 58, respectively, via an inwardly angled portion 57 and 59, respectively. The upper portions 52 and 54 are generally vertical and parallel to each other, and the lower portions 56 and 58 are generally vertical and parallel to each other. The distance between the upper portions 52 and 54 is greater than the distance between the lower portions 56 and 58. Catch plates 60 and 62 extend vertically downwardly from the upper portions 52 and 54, respectively, to define receiving areas 80 and 82, respectively. The receiving area 80 is defined by the catch plate 60 and the portions 56 and 57, and the receiving area 82 is defined by the catch plate 62 and the portions 58 and 59.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate how the liner 40 can be used to securely retain an opened trash bag at its mouth 50. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the liner 40 can be removed from the interior of the shell 22. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, a trash bag 70 can be fitted into the interior of the liner 40. The trash bag 70 can be provided in the form of a conventional plastic grocery bag that has two handles 72 and 74. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the trash bag 70 can be adjusted inside the liner 40 so that the handles 72 and 74 are folded outside the liner 40, received in the receiving areas 80 and 82, respectively, and hooked by the catch plates 60 and 62, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the catch plates 60, 62 secure the handles 72, 74 so that the mouth 76 of the trash bag 70 is maintained opened, even when the interior of the trash bag 70 is filled with the weight of the trash. The liner 40 is then inserted back into the interior of the shell 22, and the lid 30 can be closed. The trash can assembly 20 is now ready for use.

The trash bag 70 can be quickly and conveniently removed in a hygienic manner. The user merely opens the lid 30, grips the catch plates 60, 62 to lift up and remove the liner 40 from the shell 22, and then grips the handles 72, 74 to lift the trash bag 70 and its contents out of the liner 40. After the trash bag 70 has been disposed of, a new trash bag 70 can be inserted into the interior of the liner 40 and the same process as described above in connection with FIGS. 2-4 can be repeated. Since the user only grips the catch plates 60, 62 and the handles 72, 74 (which are normally positioned outside the liner 40), the user does not need to contact any part of the interior of the trash bag 70 or the interior of the liner 40, thereby minimizing the user's contact with the trash.

If the trash bag 70 is a conventional trash bag that does not have any handles, the top edge of the trash bag can be folded outwardly and tucked under the catch plates 60, 62 into the receiving areas 80, 82, so that the catch plates 60, 62 grip the top edge of the trash bag and the mouth of the trash bag is maintained opened.

Thus, the trash can assembly 20 is effective in keeping the mouth of a trash bag opened at the mouth 26 of the shell 22. In this regard, the catch plates 60, 62 grip the handles 72, 74 and maintain them in a spread-open position. In addition, the catch plates 60, 62 function as a gripping handle for the user, thereby allowing for the safe and clean use of the trash can assembly 20.

While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. 

1. A trash can assembly, comprising: a shell having an enclosing wall that defines an interior space; a rigid liner received inside the interior space, the liner having an enclosing wall, and a top peripheral edge that defines a mouth, the liner further including first and second catch plates spaced apart from each other and provided adjacent the top peripheral edge; and a trash bag retained inside the liner, the trash bag having a top edge, with a first portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the first catch plate, and a second portion of the top edge of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the second catch plate.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the trash bags are first and second handles.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shell is made of a metal.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the liner is made of plastic.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the enclosing wall of the liner has first and second parallel side walls, and third and fourth parallel end walls, with the first and second catch plates provided on the third and fourth walls, respectively.
 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the third and fourth walls has a upper portion that transitions to a lower portion, with the distance between the upper portions being greater than the distance between the lower portions.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the catch plates are opposite each other.
 8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a first receiving area is defined by the first catch plate and a portion of the enclosing wall of the liner, and a second receiving area is defined by the second catch plate and another portion of the enclosing wall of the liner.
 9. A trash can assembly, comprising: a shell having an enclosing wall that defines an interior space; a rigid liner received inside the interior space, the liner having first and second parallel side walls, and third and fourth parallel end walls, the liner further having a top peripheral edge that defines a mouth, the liner further including first and second catch plates provided adjacent the top peripheral edge and along the third and fourth walls, respectively; a first receiving area defined by the first catch plate and a portion of the third wall of the liner; a second receiving area defined by the second catch plate and another portion of the fourth wall of the liner; and a trash bag retained inside the liner, the trash bag having a top edge, a first handle and a second handle, with the first handle of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the first catch plate, and the second handle of the trash bag folded over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the second catch plate, wherein the first and second handles are received in the first and second receiving areas, respectively.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the shell is made of a metal.
 11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the liner is made of plastic.
 12. The assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the third and fourth walls has a upper portion that transitions to a lower portion, with the distance between the upper portions being greater than the distance between the lower portions.
 13. A method of securing a trash bag to a rigid liner of a trash can assembly, comprising: providing a trash can assembly having a shell having an enclosing wall that defines an interior space; providing a rigid liner received inside the interior space, the liner having an enclosing wall, and a top peripheral edge that defines a mouth, the liner further including first and second catch plates spaced apart from each other and provided adjacent the top peripheral edge; providing a trash bag having a top edge; folding a first portion of the top edge of the trash bag over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the first catch plate; and folding a second portion of the top edge of the trash bag over the top peripheral edge of the liner and engaging the second catch plate. 